Metro area manufacturers added a seasonally adjusted 800 new jobs in November, helping to offset job cuts in the financial and leisure and hospitality sectors. But the region's economic growth remains slower than normal, the U of O's Regional Economic Indexes show.

A gauge meant to track the Portland's economic activity was -0.4 in November. The reading, a moving average of recent trends, indicates that the region is expanding below its average pace since 1998.

Portland isn't alone. Growth is also sluggish in Salem, Eugene, Central Oregon and the Rogue Valley, according to the indexes.